Andrew Rumbles has been a sales manager with New Zealand book publishers and has also owned two franchised bookstores.
For 3 years now, Andrew has reviewed books for Express Newspaper and Booksellers New Zealand's Book Blog.
Andrew Talks Books is a home for these reviews along with other writing Andrew produces.

Friday, September 21, 2012

Naked Truth by Rachel Francis published by Penguin.

The sex industry in New Zealand occurs in dark back streets,
busy street corners, strip clubs, massage parlours, brothels, and all places
where gritty real sexual encounters occur.This is Rachel’s second book, a book where she endeavours to share with
all of us the truth and reality of this industry.Through her interviews with a wide range of
people Rachel wants to demonstrate the validity of what these people do for a
living.

Sex workers can be entertainment as we see in night clubs
and strip bars, while they can also be a safe sexual outlet for people who
would otherwise be tempted force sex on someone in their lives.

At the book’s launch a wonderful variety of humanity was on
show. These were the people from the book.The female with long blond hair and great tits on show had grown up to
be a farming bloke from provincial NZ, the couple who run a swingers club,
young and old sex workers, the memory of Flora Mackenzie and Carmen Rupe who
polarised our county’s attitudes to entertainment at the sexual boundary of
society.

The interviews are revealing and engaging.Rachel’s own self comes through in each of
the introductions.This is a woman who
has lived life and is proud to be able to share her world with readers who have
only glimpsed this one previously.

And then we come across our community’s hero, Miss
Ribena.Miss Ribena tells us she learnt
to be drug and alcohol free from her first Madam.This self control is what delivers spot on
performances and a caring person to clubs like Family.By challenging norms and creating allure she
also gives a role model to us all.

Go on, do buy and read this book for its salacious details
of the sex industry, but also for the wonderful stories of our fellow Kiwis.